Due to ignorance and inflexibility before my hip replacements, I never really developed deep squatting technique. I've been using SS to build up my back squats, but was thinking about using the following program. My coach is telling me that it would be far better to use this type of high rep program to get in the groove and then return to trying to boost weights.

I have done the first two workouts and it's a lot harder than it appears. Maybe I'm just out of shape for squats but it does wear you out.

Thoughts?

John Bott's Squat Rehab Program:

-each squat takes 6 seconds: 3 down and 3 up with no pause
- squat to 1" higher than the point of pain or discomfort
- shoulder width stance
- recovery time between sets should be 1 minute
- perform every other day, do not do any other leg strengthening
- be patient
- this is designed for someone weighing 280lbs (!) so adjust
accordingly

What about switching to OHS for a while (or even FS)? If those cant force you into the right squat form I don't know what will. Plus your loads dont need to be that heavy to be effective. Unless you have someone watching you...it's a pain to know if your back squat form is correct....FS and OHS fix that easily....as you can't hold the weight.

Rick Deckart

02-13-2007 08:41 AM

Hi Elliot,

as I already mentioned the program works quite well, at least for me. You can have a look here:

if you are interested how to incorporate this into a strength routine*. I used it for OHS but in your case I would simply do backsquats, leave the first cycle as is and do the second one with 25-30% weight increase. After that I would switch to some lower rep stuff. Coincidently I started such a cycle today combining OHS with KB swings, the fourth time I am doing this routine (I did this only for OHS, during the second time I injured myself while snowboarding, so I could not finish the program, during the third trial I became ill (flu) and again could not finish the cycle...).

BTW after each minicycle I would take at least two days off so that at the start of the next cycle you are fresh and recovered. It would probably best to limit yourself to 3 workouts per week.

Regards,

Peter

*The above link shows among other things a vivid documentation of over-reaching, so take it with some grain of salt...

Elliot Royce

02-13-2007 08:43 AM

It's not the form so much as building up the muscles as quickly as possible. I spend two hours each weekend with my coach and he inspects the form pretty closely. I do sets of front squats every time I do O lifts, which is around 3x per week. But I also want to do back squats -- feels like it works the muscles differently, maybe I'm wrong. I'm at 195lbs on back squats and 135lbs on front squats, and both need to come up. Well, actually I'm at 187lbs on front squats since that's what I'm squat cleaning so go figure....

Actually on the form, it's pretty different according to my coach. As long as I maintain the lordotic arch in the back, he's ok with me bending forward at the waist with a back squat. That allows me to center the weight better given my long femurs.

We're going to work our way up to OHS. That is the worst since I dont' have "hypermobile" shoulders like some people do! :-)

Rick Deckart

02-14-2007 12:46 AM

Correction, checking my logs it is still the third trial but the second cycle of this routine.

During the first trial/second cycle I had a snowboard crash which did not allow any sport for over three month; during the second trial/first cycle I had to stop due to a flu. The third trial/first cycle got me to a 13rep OHS with BW (see link above). Yesterday was start of the second cycle of the third trial...

Robb Wolf

02-14-2007 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Puetz
(Post 4748)

Correction, checking my logs it is still the third trial but the second cycle of this routine.

During the first trial/second cycle I had a snowboard crash which did not allow any sport for over three month; during the second trial/first cycle I had to stop due to a flu. The third trial/first cycle got me to a 13rep OHS with BW (see link above). Yesterday was start of the second cycle of the third trial...

Peter-
Really good stuff!

Rick Deckart

02-14-2007 08:42 AM

Thanks Robb,

not to hijack this thread but I have an extremely crappy vid of my failed 15 OHS with BW attempt:

hijack away, there's only so much to be said about a rehab squat routine!

Dave Van Skike

02-14-2007 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot Royce
(Post 4764)

hijack away, there's only so much to be said about a rehab squat routine!

Elliot, excsue my ignoramus, it might be in a thread somewhere already but I'd be interested to hear your appraoch on coming back from a hip (more than one?) replacement. It's always interesting to see how people deal with this stuff. I am clawing my way up to a decent and hopefully someday legit squat from some really %$#&ed up knee damage. There is a just a dearth of positive info out there on folks starting over from zero so it's always encouraging to hear from folks in a similar boat.

Not to pry, good luck and all that.

Robb Wolf

02-14-2007 10:10 AM

Peter-
Wholly Silence of the Lambs training Hall! that joint looks scary! Peter have you tinkered with driving the shoulders into the ears more? I think it might tighten up that overhead position.

Elliot-
If you touch on the hip replacements, can you start that in the special populations section. I think we had a few posts on HR's a while back. I'm certainly interested to hear what you have done.